You Save Me
by Roscette29
Summary: Rory realizes what she let go all those years ago. slightly auish
1. Prologue

Yes, I know, I'm horrible. I have a story on hiatus basically, and here I am starting another one. But I can't get it out of my head.

I own nothing.

_Prologue_

Rory sighed as she fingered the photo frame adorning her desk. She always got nostalgic this time of year. She fell back onto her dorm room bed, looked up at the mistle toe her mother had insisted she decorate with, and remembered all the wonderful times that could have been, had she only given them the chance. After he had left, he was all that occupied her mind. Dean had broken up with her, being able to infer her feelings. She hadn't really minded, now that she looked back.

Deciding that it was better now than never, Rory lugged the last bit of luggage out of her Harvard dorm, got into her jeep and headed home for the holidays. As she drove, she wondered if he was thinking about her, too.

_**Across Campus**_

He let out a slow groan as he threw the picture album across the room. It fluttered down to the ground, and one happened to fall out. It was a picture of him and Rory, that he had not seen being taken. He wondered silently if she had made it to her dream school, just as he had. That was partly the reason he was here, looking for her. Once he had started applying himself his senior year, he had every college east of the Mississippi knocking at his door vying for the opportunity to boast his presence at their campus. He had chosen Harvard, though, in hopes of finding her. Not that he stood much chance though.

_So, what do you think? Should I continue this? Any comments/critiques welcome. 1st chapter should be up later tonight, or really early tomorrow morning._

3 Roscette29


	2. Chapter 1

_To All of You who wondered about the pairing, it will be revealed in this chapter._

I still own nothing.

As Rory turned into her driveway she found herself with tears in her eyes for the eighth time that evening. She had to keep reminding herself that his family was in Hartford, not Stars Hollow, and she wasn't going to see him. Rory bravely dried her eyes, fixed her running mascara, smiled and walked towards the door.

Lorelai burst through the door as soon as she saw headlights coming down the driveway, and engulfed her daughter into a bear hug.

"I've missed you, o spawn of mine!" Lorelai exclaimed. "Let's see how big you've gotten." She followed in mock surprise.

"Mom, I was here 3 weeks ago. And I do believe my growing stage is over." Rory laughed at her mothers' antics. Lorelai guided her daughter into the house, and saw that far-off look in her eyes.

"You've been thinking about him haven't you?" Lorelai inquired of her daughter. Rory nodded slowly. "Well then, you'll be ecstatic to hear that we've been roped into one of my mother's famous Christmas saureè's." When Rory's face shown with no signs of emotion, Lorelai inhaled dramatically, and continued. "All of Hartford's prominent will be there Rory. And my father and Janlan have been doing business since I can remember. Tristan is sure to be there."

Rory gasped, and immediately spoke up. "Why didn't you tell me before I left Harvard? All my cute clothes are up there still!"

"Well, then you'll just have to wear some of mine." Lorelai stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"No, I can't do that!" Rory exclaimed.

"And why would that be, my darling?" Lorelai feigned shock.

"Because all you've got is sexy clothes..." Rory spat back.

"And how is this a problem? Rory if I remember correctly, wasn't it you who pined daily for Bible Boy after he left for military school? And wasn't it you who chose Harvard, because that's where he knew you were going? And wasn't it you who called me weekly for your entire first semester because you hadn't seen him? Don't you WANT to look sexy for him?" Lorelai answered, exasperated.

Rory, who had been silent throughout this charade, finally spoke up. "Well DUH mother, but what if I'm not good enough for him? Or what if he's there with somebody? Or what if he's not there at all?" Rory was on the brink of tears.

"Okay, I am going to address all those questions. One, you are the most gorgeous, intelligent thing to walk this planet, after me of course, so it would be the other way around. You are not "not good enough" for anyone, understand? And two, then the sexy clothes would be for good use, because you would just have to make him jealous. And three, when mom called I specifically asked about the DuGray's, and whether they would be attending WITH their grandson, so I know for a fact that he will be there."

Rory sighed, "When's the party?"

"Tonight!" Her mother answered gleefully.

_**In Hartford**_

Tristan sighed as he pulled into his driveway, and wiped a moist spot from his eye. As soon as he had left his dorm room, Kenny Chesney had come on the radio, with "You Save Me", and he couldn't help but think of her. After all, she was the reason he changed. He had to pull his grades up in military school, for her. If he wanted to get into Harvard to find her, then he was going to have to actually GET IN to the university. And as for his infamous flavor of the week, that went out the window. If he wanted to get his Mary, his Immaculate Mary, he was going to have to become Joseph, of sorts. He was going to have to give up his locker buddies. They were only to make her jealous anyway. And if Harvard was going to accept him, he would have to clean up his record. He was going to have to become squeaky clean. And he did. So, in fact, Rory Gilmore had saved him. Now, he couldn't get her off his mind.

As soon as he walked into his house, he was met with his Grandfather. "Get dressed. We're going to one of my business associates' Christmas gatherings in half an hour. And look nice, there's a young lady whose mother inquired as to your presence at this event."

Tristan groaned. This was going to be a long night.

_There it is. The party is in the next chapter which I _might_ get up __tonight, as well. Hope you liked it. I think I here the review button __crying out, so you better go check._

3 Roscette29


	3. Chapter 2

_For all those who reviewed, thank you so much! The prologue and the first chapter were to kind of set up the story. Now we're getting into the juicy stuff! I don't think there's going to be many chapters left. Maybe just the party, and then right afterwards. I might do a sequel though. Wait, now I'm rambling, and that's not a good thing. So, I don't own anything (duh) and on with the show! ((Story))_

* * *

Rory's mind had been going at least a mile a minute since her mother announced the party at grandmas. She had no idea what to wear and her mother's suggestions of the ever-sexier outfit were going to have to stop. Rory must have gone through every single thing she owned, twice, and her room certainly looked it. Everything that had been so nicely packed away in her boxes from Harvard was strewn all across everything. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that Rory had an overhead light, the room would be pitch black, because the desk lamp had a bright yellow sweater, two pair of denim cut-off's, and a black mini skirt on top of it.

As Rory sighed for what felt like the bajillion-th time since she'd been home (a mere two hours ago) and examined her figure in her full-length mirror, Lorelai walked into the room. "Honey, stop all you're doing and turn around." Lorelai uttered as she picked off the black mini skirt in disgust. "I've solved all your wardrobe problems, and believe me, he WON'T be able to resist you." In her hand, Lorelai held a pale green turtle neck sweater and a black corduroy pencil skirt. On the floor beside Lorelai was a pair of hooker boots, for lack of a better term. The boots were knee high and had a zip all the way up the side. On the outside of each was an emerald green accent shaped like a heart, placed directly onto the side of the heel.

Rory let out the breath she wasn't aware she had been holding, and squealed. "This is great, mom. He'll love me!" "Now how do I make it look Christmas-y?" she asked.

"By wearing those gorgeous red dangly earrings you got last week, and that ruby red necklace in the shape of a snowflake that grandma gave you last year." Rory was shocked by her mother's vast knowledge of fashion. Okay, well maybe shocked wasn't the word, but she was eternally grateful, and she let her mother know it, too.

"O-M-Gosh mom! You're the greatest thing ever!" Rory exclaimed as she tackled her mother into the pile of clothes that covered her bed completely.

"Yes well, the greatest thing ever needs room to breathe sweetie. And I'm sure that Luke will be thrilled to hear that I have surpassed his coffee on your favorite things list." Choked Lorelai.

"You wouldn't?" Rory cried, shocked.

"I would. In fact, I will." Lorelai stated victoriously.

A fter all the bickering was finished, Lorelai ushered Rory into the shower, reminding her that she only had 1 hour to complete her look, which earned a gasp and a run from the youngest Lorelai.

An hour and a half later, both Lorelais were finished completely styling their outfits and heading toward Hartford. "Great mom. We're going to be late. How is it that I was finished before you, when you were halfway through by the time I even started?" Rory asked incredulously.

"Maybe it's because it takes longer for mommy to look beautiful?" The elder Gilmore offered feebly. "And besides now you get to make a grand entrance and Tristan will be sure to see you the moment you step in the door."

"You planned this! I can't believe you. O wait, yes I can, because you are your mother's child." Rory spat.

"How could you compare your mother, your bearer, to that evil, evil woman? I can't believe that such a thought would cross your mind? And besides, my mother could never come up with something this good." Lorelai snorted.

The two fell into an easy silence and Rory looked for a good radio station. Eventually, she found a country one she liked (**a.n. I know country music was not ever mentioned in the show, but Kenny Chesney's song is what gave me the inspiration for this story, so… there ya go.) **and settled in. The only sound that ever came from either of the girls' mouths was an occasional refrain of Honky-tonk Badonkadonk or Before He Cheats. As they pulled into the driveway, Kenny Chesney's You Save Me was just ending.

_**

* * *

In Hartford

* * *

**_

Tristan DuGray hadn't always been a country music kind of boy, but North Carolina had changed him. Now, you couldn't get him to listen to anything else. From Taylor Swift (yes, he liked Tim McGraw), to Trace Atkins, Chilton's King was now a Southern hottie. The second he got to his room to get ready for this party he'd been roped into, he found the only Country Station in Hartford and proceeded to get into his penguin suit.

If anyone had been looking in Tristan's second story window as he got ready for the party that night, they would have been greeted with a hilarious sight. As Honky-tonk Badonkadonk played through his speakers, Tristan was trying to "keep that perfect rhythm make me swing along", but he was failing, colossally, as he hopped on one foot trying to get dressed at the same time. When Before He Cheats came through the apparatus, Tristan was just getting in his truck (he had brought it with him from NC) with his grandfather. He made the short drive across town per his grandfather's directions. Wait, he recognized this house…

* * *

_ 3 Roscette29 I hate to leave you hanging like this, but I know I would rather shorter updates sooner than longer updates farther apart. If this is just me, feel free to tell me, and I will update less frequently, but with longer chapters. Once I get a story, I tend to write fast anyway. I think I see a pretty little review button that needs some love._


	4. Chapter 3

_Now we've gotten to the good stuff._

_Thanks for the reviews._

_I don't own anything._

* * *

Rory sighed, twirling her necklace as she searched for the person she most wanted to find, or least. She was still deciding. Everything hinged on his reaction. Every corner she turned, every door she opened, that was one more hitched breath, one more worried thought. "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid… He doesn't want you, MARY." She practically spat at herself. She began pacing the library she had stumbled upon, found one of her grandfather's good books, sat down on the comfy couch, and began reading. She was no longer searching. She gave up. She wondered when this party was going to end. Or rather, when this obligation was going to end.

* * *

_**In the main room

* * *

**_

Lorelai furrowed her brows, deep in thought. She had searched, also for Tristan. She wasn't going to let him mess up, again. After he left that fateful night, Rory had been completely devastated.

* * *

**Flashback

* * *

**

As Tristan walked down the long, unending hallway, wishing he could turn back and plant a soft kiss on those oh-so gorgeous lips, Rory was silently starting to cry, although she did a good job holding back the tears until she got home. Lorelai held her, not knowing exactly what was wrong, but she was equipped with the knowledge of what happened the _last_ time someone forgot to wallow after a break up. Lorelai had asked her daughter if her and Dean had had a fight. Rory had replied curtly with the response that her and bagboy were just fine. Lorelai had been baffled. She had only remembered one person ever calling Dean bagboy. And then it clicked.

"Rory, sweetie, did you and Tristan have a fight?" Lorelai asked, slightly amused.

"We didn't have a fight… He almost kissed me." Rory managed to choke out between sobs.

"Almost? What do you mean?" Lorelai was thoroughly bewildered now.

"He came to tell me that his dad was making him leave, and he turned to go saying 'I'd kiss you goodbye, but your boyfriend is watching.'" Rory was wailing by now.

Lorelai had known that her daughter and Dean had their fair share of problems, but didn't every couple?

* * *

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

Over the next month, Lorelai had watched as her daughter drifted further and further away from her first love, finally ending it. The next three years had incredibly fast for both Gilmore girls, and neither had a love life to speak of. Well, Lorelai did, but it had been hard for her to talk about it with her daughter, when she was so incredibly lonely.

Lorelai was pulled out of her reverie by a tall, blonde man pushing past her, obviously searching for something. It took Lorelai all of a minute and a half to realize that that man was not searching for something, he was searching for someone. And that that man, was not just any man, it was Tristan DuGray, king of Chilton, and dweller of her daughter's heart.

"Bible Boy! Wait up!" When Tristan made no move to stop, or even turn to see who was calling him, Lorelai altered her expression. "Tristan, I know where Rory is hiding!" She cried. At this, Tristan's head jerked in her direction, and he made a beeline for the elder female.

"She's hiding from me?" Tristan's heart began to sink.

"Okay, so maybe the wording was a little off, but it got your attention didn't it?" Lorelai shrugged.

"So you don't know where Rory is?" Tristan couldn't take much more of this woman's babbling, he had to find Rory and he had to find her right then.

He began turning, and was going to go back to his searching when he heard a voice call after him. "Where did you find her at the last party?" It was then, that he knew exactly where to go. If only he could find the library.

Tristan searched, opening door after door, and he didn't even stop at this strange man's request to join a sub-party. "Care for a drink, love?" Wow, that was one _gone_ Australian. After what seemed like the 150th door, Tristan was asking himself if there could be a bigger house in all of Hartford. On door 207, Tristan stumbled upon a room full of books. All books. It was Rory's dream room. In the far corner, there was a leather love seat facing the wall, and Tristan walked towards it.

"She's reading again, how novel." Tristan almost laughed at his child-like antics.

Rory turned, startled, and gasped when she saw she had a visitor. "Tristan? You're here?"  
"What, were you looking for me, Mary?" Tristan smirked.

"Maybe." Rory started to blush, but couldn't take her eyes off of his gorgeous body.

"Like what you see?" Tristan laughed.

"Eh. Not really." It was Rory's turn to smirk.

Although it had been nearly 3 years since they had last seen each other, the two fell easily back into the playful flirtatious bantering that they were known for in high school. Rory had curled into one corner of the love seat, and Tristan sat at the other end. They started out by talking about where they were in life, and ended up at the night of Romeo and Juliet.

"I can't read Shakespeare without thinking of you." Rory confessed.

"Well aren't you just a Taylor Swift? I'm sure Shakespeare would be honored." Tristan laughed. He hadn't laughed that much in three years, and it felt good.

"Huh?" Rory was confused, Tristan knew Taylor Swift?

"What you don't have a letter you wrote me 3 summers back?" Tristan countered.

"I never pictured you as a country boy Tristan. And yes, I do." Wow, Rory had a lot to learn. She reached back into her purse, and pulled out a letter in an envelope marked simply, Tristan. "I was going to mail this to you," Rory confessed, "but I didn't know where to send it."

"What can I say, Trace Adkins knows his stuff." Tristan joked as he pulled out an envelope of his own marked simply, Mary.

The two exchanged envelopes and were silent for a time, each lost in their own little world of reminiscence.

At last, Tristan was the first to speak. " I never knew you felt this way, Mare. What do you say, we go get coffee or something tomorrow?" He knew fully well that the or something was not needed, a Gilmore girl was hooked at the word coffee, always.

"I would love to, Bible boy." Rory answered with a grin.

Where had he heard that before? It clicked. "Rory, how long have you had that nickname for me?"

"Since you dubbed me Mary, why?" She responded, intrigued.

"Because I think your mom tried to get my attention using that name, and then realized I had no clue what it meant." Tristan chuckled.

After the party, both spent their night staring at the ceiling. Neither could sleep for the visions of coffee dancing in their head.

* * *

_Okay, okay…. I know…. bad ending….. but I had to end it somewhere or this would be longer than the already 8 pages it is…. So sorry…. more updates to come, I'm not done with this story yet……. And I have ideas as to where its going….. I think it might be finished by 2007._

_Reviews please? Oh, and did anyone catch that cameo appearance? Love to all._

_If I don't update before the 25th, I hope you all have a safe and Merry Christmas._

_3 Roscette29_


	5. Chapter 4

I know I'm bad, but I've had a lot going on.

Sorry.

Timeline explaination: The party was roughly 1 1/2 weeks before Christmas... so this is the week between Christmas and New Years. Cheers!

_Mary,_

_As I sit on this cold, hard lump they call a mattress, I stare at the ceiling. Why do I stare at the ceiling? Only because thoughts of you occupy my mind far too much for my liking. I can't seem to think of anything else at this stupid military boot camp they call school. You know Rory; I really did like you. No, scratch that, I really do like you. I can only hope that someday you will realize that. And it will not be too late for us. I know that you thought I was only "going after you" because you were a conquest; the school's next Mary to be pinned by the king. But you've changed me. For the better. I am still changing. I want to see you again. I will see you again, because Lorelai Gilmore, I believe I have fallen in love with you. What started as playful bantering and flirtatious laughter on my part has turned into so much more. That smirk that occupied my face 75 of the time was not because of the innuendo's I made, but because I completely loved the face you would make when it did. I loved to see you blush, not as a sign of mocking, but because you are beautiful when you do. That day, after you set me up with Paris, and I told you I liked someone else, it was not Summer I was referring to, like I led you to believe, it was you. It has always been you. You have been my guardian angel since you set foot inside that door at Chilton. It was my own stupid fault that I didn't listen to you. I don't know how, when, or if you will get this message, but if you read this know one thing: you are my one, true love._

_Sincerely Yours Forever,_

_Tristan DuGray_

As Rory sat rereading the letter for what seemed like the seven hundred and fifty-second time, she felt her baby blue orbs once again brimming with the tears of what could have been. Although things were going smoothly now, it had been two weeks since the party, and they had gone out several times, she couldn't help but wonder where they would be now if they both hadn't hesitated to send that fateful letter.

**Flashback**

Rory sat idly, twirling her pen in her hand. She sighed nervously as she looked at the pitiful excuse she called a letter. Groaning, she crumpled up her seventh letter, threw it in the trash, and started her eighth. This one was going to work, she told herself.

_Tristan,_

_I can't stop thinking about you. Wipe that smirk off your face, bible boy. I can see it all the way from down south. How are you being treated, being the Yankee that you are? You better get back to me in one piece Mr. Dugrey. I hate that you left when I was just starting to like you. Yes, I, Mary Gilmore, like you. Now wipe that smirk off your face before I have to come down there and wipe it off myself. O jeez, why do I set myself up for those innuendoes? Gosh, now I sound like Luke. Dirty! Great, I'm completely rambling, and you don't have a clue what I'm talking about. I tend to do that a lot. Jump around, I mean. Maybe I should get back on track. Okay, so when you left, you didn't kiss me goodbye, and that killed me inside. I so much wanted to taste your lips again, and have the chance not to run crying. When I ran crying, it wasn't because I was emotionally upset, like I let you think, but because I didn't understand what was going on inside. I wanted you Tristan, and that scared me. I had never wanted Dean like that, or even thought about it. But with you it's so different. So new. Dean and I broke up by the way, he could tell we just weren't clicking. He could tell there was someone else. I didn't mention that someone else was you though, or you might have gotten a visit. Tristan, please come back. I miss you terribly. I need you._

_Forever Yours,_

_Mary_

Tearfully, Rory placed it inside a white envelope, sealing it with a kiss. As she started to write down the address, Rory realized she didn't have a clue where to send the thing.

**End Flashback**

Rory sighed, once again, and vowed never would she think of what might have been. She had now, and she wasn't going to let this one slip away, again. Jumping up, Rory headed for her closet to pick out the perfect outfit. Tristan was taking her to dinner tonight, he had told her semi-formal, but had left no indication as to the whereabouts of said date.

After going through all her clothes, twice, Rory picked out the perfect outfit (though her feet were going to kill her by the end of the night). She had on a sleeveless deep red dress that gathered at the bust, and had a bow around the waist. It was long and flowing, about mid-ankle, with several layers of different lengths. Her shoes were very strappy, and had a four-inch heel. She had on gorgeous red dangling earrings, and a 5-tier necklace to match. She looked good, if she dared say so herself.

At promptly 7:10, the Crap Shack's doorbell rang. Lorelai rushed to get it.

"What time did he say he'd pick you up?" She yelled to her daughter, who was putting her make up.

"7:00!" Came the muffled reply. It sounded like Rory was putting on her lipstick.

"Oh, the boy is good." Lorelai snapped her fingers for effect.

Lorelai answered the door, and Tristan immediately handed her a cup of Luke's coffee. "For you Lorelai." Tristan bowed for effect.

"Mommy like." Lorelai was won over.

As Rory turned the corner from the kitchen, Tristan was floored. His jaw dropped, and he struggled to regain his composer. "You look, nice, Mare." He was finally able to choke out.

He then handed her a dozen yellow roses. "They mean eternal love." O God, why did she always make him feel like a schoolboy just by looking at him?

After the ensuing mocking that came from Lorelai, Tristan linked his arm with Rory's, and led her out the door.

_Yes, I know I'm bad, but I had to end it there. It was getting long. Oh, I don't own anything, except the dress. I wore it to my "Silver Bell Ball", and then again at Midnight Mass. I sang that night, and we stood the entire time. Believe me, my feet were killing me. At the end of the night, I took off my shoes, and walked out to my car barefoot. They hurt that badly._

_Well, you know what to do. The review button's getting lonely._


End file.
